User Reviews

This is not actually that bad a film, if you take away the stupid bits and ignore some of the wooden acting. But I'm afraid it hasn't stood the test of time that well, thanks largely to the awful music and costumes on show here. If you can ignore those, the story isn't too bad.

It's always interesting in these types of movies to do the "Hey! Isn't that...!" thing when the actors appear. Here we have Warren Mitchell as the bad guy.....who went on to play Alf Garnett in "Til Death do Us PArt" in the same year as this film, and for many years after. Also here is Catherine Schell, of Space 1999 fame. Of course the main star here, James Olsen, is probably more familiar from his roles in The Andromeda Strain a couple of years later, or the Arnie vehicle, Commando, some time later. Also present is that stalwart of Carry On movies, Bernard Bresslaw.

Of course, this movie has its bad points. The least of which is the music. It's just so 60's its almost criminal. Add to that, the PVC clothes which we all will apparently wear in the future, along with the garish, often lop-sided wigs (which must have been re-used in UFO, methinks) and you have a film which will always be dated to the time it was made.

Other bad points include the acting. I won't go into the many instances but at one point big Bernie Bresslaw (who plays a heavy) has to look bored and almost asleep during the plot exposition by the bad guy's scientist. He does this so well that you think he really is bored of the film, not the scene he's in.

The science isn't too bad for a film of this era. No one wandering about on the lunar surface without a helmet, for instance, or other foolishness.

But unfortunately, the costumes, wigs and music will always make this movie a bit of a chuckle. I suspect this was something of an experiment by Hammer, to see if they could break out of the horror genre. I don't know how well it went down at the time, but I guess it wasn't that well, as I can't recall any other Hammer sci-fi projects.

Anyway, a dated piece, but worth a look if there's nothing better on (or you just want to laugh at 60's fashions).

What happens when you combine go-go girls, disco music, spaghetti westerns, and 60s sci-fi? "Moon Zero Two" happens, that's what.

The storyline reads like an after-school special, without much character development; but the parts are all well-acted. The miniatures and set designs are well-done, but true to the time; the costumes are mostly vibrant colors and PVC. There are honest efforts made to maintain credibility, such as the lack of noise in a vacuum, and no 'magic gravity' in space. The science is actually quite believable, especially in comparison to other 60s sci-fi.

There are elements ("Moonopoly", six-shooters holstered in PVC gun-belts outside space suits, the moon saloon) of this movie that make it painfully cheesy at times, but not the same "so bad that it's good" cheese one would expect. It's more of a "I'm embarrassed to remember when those things were cool" kind of cheesy.

Overall, an enjoyable watch (depending on your tolerance for '60s kitch) - 6 out of 10.

Interesting effort here by the usually predictable Hammer Studios, best known for all those low budget Dracula movies with Christopher Lee and Frankenstein movies with Peter Cushing. Hammer actually worked in a number of genres during their heyday, with spy films and crime thrillers, wartime potboilers, pirate escapades. They had already crossed their usual horror motifs with a heavy dose of science fiction with their "Quatermass" series, but for whatever reason Hammer never made a traditional looking western, even though some of their principal talent had contributed to a couple. Too bad, I am sure they would have had an intriguing go at it.

This was their compromise, a clearly 2001 inspired concoction mixing some of the more obvious elements of a western -- six guns, saloons, claim jumping gunslingers, a fetching damsel in distress, a cynical hero -- with the then familiar trappings of science fiction space epics. Space suits instead of cowboy attire, moon buggies instead of stagecoaches, and a lady moon sheriff who packs twin pistols in holsters attached to her thigh-high Go Go boots. Whatever. The idea was viable enough for Peter Hyams to revisit in a more sober manner with 1981's "Outland", a subtle remake of "High Noon" set at a mining complex on one of Jupiter's moons.

The blend of genres will either go over well or create profound disbelief, as is evidenced by the film having been enshrined in Mystery Science Theater 3000's hall of fame of parody screenings with all those annoying, smug comments from the dorks in the front row superimposed on the screen. The film is silly enough in itself without their schtick (I'm not a big MST3K fan, sorry), and just as with Elvira, just because they choose to send up a given movie that doesn't mean it may not have some redeeming parts.

This one does, mostly in an endearing willingness to try anything, and for Hammer what was actually a pretty significant budget that let them pull off some ingenious little effects sequences. My favorite touch are the little Moon Fargo buggies, which sure are radio controlled models in the long shots, but by golly they have a sort of charm about them that belies their phoniness. We forgive because in the context of the kind of entertainment we are looking at, namely 1960s European made science fiction, they work just fine.

The story isn't much, but then again the whole show is in the production design, which as others point out apes Apollo era technologies as much as it does a 2001 inspired antiseptic, shiny rubberized look. Some may poke fun at the silly hairstyles and clumsy looking costumes, I say they fit in perfectly with the movie's aesthetic. There is even a healthy dose of realistic science thrown in alongside such recurring SF themes as artificial gravity, miniature space colonies, and foxy babes who casually strip down to their space age underwear once the air conditioning gives out.

Newly re-released by Warner's on a double movie DVD along with the equally long overdue "When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth". Couldn't recommend them more, beats the crap out of anything currently projecting onto screens in empty theaters at the cineplexes in any event, and just stupid enough to warrant repeat casual guilty pleasure viewing.

6/10

Ah, the year was 1969. Apollo 11 had landed on the moon. I was 11 and eating up any science fiction I could. When I saw the advertisement for this movie I HAD to see it. So I had my mom take me and a friend to see it.

Yeah, it was kind of hokey, but I didn't notice that when I was 11. I simply thought it was plain cool. Besides, the larger Lunar Module looked pretty darn impressive. And the main actor, James Olsen, had been in Andromeda Strain a year earlier.

So, is it worth checking out now, circa 2001? Yeah, if you can catch it on cable or maybe the Sci-Fi Channel, it'd be worth a look. Just to see how events were extrapolated from the reality of 1969. Sadly, the politicians killed Apollo just when they were getting good at going to interesting places on the moon, i.e. Apollo 17 at Taurus-Littrow - incredible scenery. So we never established a moon base like the one in the movie. Sad.

It is indeed a "Western" set on the moon. You'll love the bar scene and all the women. Sorry if that sounds sexist, but hey, this was the sixties, and even 11 year old boys liked girls in mini-skirts. So, if you ever have a chance to catch it, grab a six-pack, sit down, and enjoy.

A space-pilot is caught up in a claim-jumping scheme on the far side of the Moon. Touted as the first 'Moon-western', the film would have been much better if it had simply lifted plot and character tropes from the classic oaters and dispensed with silly trappings such as the 'gunfighter-style' holsters and the awful 'saloon-themed' bar complete with the dancing girls and inevitable brawl (a particularly silly scene). On the plus side, 'Moon Zero Two' has the entertaining look of contemporaneous British science fiction with carefully detailed and well thought-out miniatures, and fashions and hair styles straight out of 'UFO' (1970) or 'Space 1999' (1975). The central plot is clever (albeit implausible) and the special effects generally good (although as usual the filmmakers couldn't resist adding sounds in space). The cast of British character actors is OK but they are saddled with trying to deliver an awkward mélange of adventure and parody through a tongue-in-cheek script that is nether very clever nor witty. Unfortunately, the end product is a film that is worse than it looks and likely of interest only to fans of genre fans or those nostalgic for the short skirts, austere jumpsuits, beepy machines, and vibrantly coloured wigs of the British vison of the future in the late 60s/early '70s. If you can sit though the goofy, incredibly 60s-looking, animated opening-credits sequence and tolerate the theme song, you can probably survive watching the film.

One of Hammer's oddest films is this one, their sole foray into Science-Fiction, which has quite a maligned reputation but emerges to be reasonably tolerable under the circumstances. It obviously won't stand comparisons with the likes of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968), though still valuable for being one of the very first films to exploit the 1969 landing on the moon.

The famed British studio were noted for making expensive-looking Gothic Horrors with limited means; here, however, the low budget shows through as the futuristic sets they came up with are rather shoddy! For what it's worth, the film does contain at least one Hammer-type image involving a space suit found to be inhabited by a skeleton. Incidentally, MOON ZERO TWO has been referred to as a Space Western (in view of its mining, dynamiting, discovery of a priceless mineral, claim-jumping and shoot-outs): so far so good…however, having an outer space saloon (complete with dancing cowgirls) in 2021 is beyond ridiculous! Peter Hyams had the good sense to forego such puerile shenanigans when he made his own 'Space Western' with Sean Connery, OUTLAND (1981).

Having said that, It's undeniably superior to ZETA ONE (1969), which I watched recently, though still containing a definite camp factor – starting with the goofy animated credit sequence (accompanied by a decidedly infectious title tune) but extending to hilarious costumes and props…not to mention the presence of a dapper megalomaniac villain (by the way, as was the case with ZETA ONE itself, the cast features a member of the "Carry On" gang in Bernard Bresslaw, again, appearing as a baddie albeit a dimwitted brute!). Having mentioned the cast, Hammer stalwart Michael Ripper turns up here as well for one brief scene; as for the film's American lead, James Olson (with receding blond hair!) doesn't exactly set the screen on fire. It's interesting, though, that co-star Adrienne Corri would appear in Hammer's more traditional VAMPIRE CIRCUS (though still contriving a twist in its tail) and Kubrick's subsequent piece of sophisticated sci-fi, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, within the same year (1971).

If you ever wondered why Hammer Films spent so many years churning out horror film after horror film, check out MOON ZERO TWO, a timely foray into science fiction by the British production company. Put simply, it's a dog of a film, by turns excruciatingly embarrassing and rather dull, so I'm glad Hammer stuck with the horror bracket for the most part.

Publicity has it that MOON ZERO TWO was conceived as a western in outer space, but the later Sean Connery-starrer OUTLAND did that style of film-making in a much better and more convincing way. Because it's impossible to take a film like MOON ZERO TWO seriously. The nadir, for me, is the usual bar-room brawl which takes place in area with reduced gravity, so participants are flying through the air and the like. I think it was supposed to be funny, but I certainly wasn't laughing with it. And what's up with those excruciating cartoon credits, which seem to belong to a different film altogether?

This movie also suffers from miscasting on a colossal scale, with half the actors feeling like they're in some kind of pantomime. Pretty Hungarian actress Catherine Schell is about the best of the bunch, although she's saddled with a boring character. She must have enjoyed the experience, because she went on to star in the similarly-themed SPACE: 1999 in the 1970s. James Olson (CRESCENDO) has to be one of the stodgiest and unlikeable leads ever seen in a Hammer film, and don't get me started on Warren Mitchell's caricature antagonist. As for Bernard Bresslaw and his attempts to be menacing as a henchman, the less said, the better. I occupied myself for the most part in watching out for Michael Ripper, Adrienne Corri, and Sam Kydd in support.

If you're a model maker or a fan of model work, you'll no doubt enjoy this production because the special effects are mainly of the model variety. As an action thriller it really fails though, as many of the action sequences take place outside the base and featuring characters wandering around in their space suits in ultra slow motion. Hardly what I would term exciting viewing, MOON ZERO TWO is a misstep from a usually reliable studio.

If you ever get a chance to see this film, don't miss it. The whole look of this film is itchy & dated, but that's what makes watching this film so much fun! Thank god that special effects have improved greatly over the past 35+ years, but considering what they had to work with, I think they did a great job. Some of the special effects folks went on to work on numerous films such as Superman, X-Men and The Bride of Chucky. Sadly, I don't think this title was ever available on video... (going ALL the way back to the Beta days.) It WAS available as a 16mm rental back in the early 70's. Warner Bros or Seven Arts handled the US distribution, so it's most likely in Ted Turner's holdings. It would be nice to see this on TCM someday.

I read these other reviews of this film here and see where people who wish to come across as Oh-So-Savvy and smart, condescendingly make fun of the period look, the soundtrack, and the costumes. 'Oh yes, by all means, let's show everyone how chic and up to date we are...' I swear, I don't know whether to be more disgusted at the shallowness or the stupidity. It truly is a toss up...

Anyway, that is PRECISELY why I personally read EXTERNAL reviews of films here on IMDb; and, along those lines, I became aware of this very little known film by way of the excellent MORIA movie review site, which I consult regularly about any and all Horror and Sci Fi films. I don't always agree with the fellow there and sometimes I quite violently disagree with him (such as with 'THE HAUNTING' (1999) and 'THE LOST BOYS') However, he has a very nice three star review of this film and I pretty much agree with his assessment. YES, of course the film was made in 19 frigg'n 69 for God's sake, so give it a break. OF COURSE it's gonna look like the period; but, I'll tell you that it looks a HELL of a LOT better than any film made around 1978 or so which when I see the 'styles' and look of that period I immediately and simultaneously lose consciousness and take a colossal dump in my pants.

Sorry... I got a bit off track there. So, as I was saying... As Richard says at MORIA, it IS a bloody HAMMER film after all and the script is quite solid, really. The story is very engaging and the acting and direction are a LOT better than a number of other horribly goofy films made around that time. With an obviously severely limited budget, I think that they did quite well with the look and design of the Lunar buildings, machinery, and landscape. They did the best they could with the cinematography, clearly taking a lot of effort to make the best out of what they had.

I really enjoyed the soundtrack (another thing that some mindlessly tasteless @sshole reviewer snidely and contemptuously said to 'ignore'. GEEZ, is it REALLY illegal to kill people like that...?) Anyway, seriously, the soundtrack went everywhere from Psychodelic power pop to sounding like Miles Davis or Herbie Hancock, to Jazz Flute, you name it. Not bad at all. Even the 'dancing girls' kind of had a seductive charm. What is amazing is that this film was made at that time and with this very low of a budget and yet it always seems to stay (just barely) this side of CHEEEEEEEZ.

You know what it sort of reminded me of, especially being a British production, is the most excellent and truly hip UFO series, which I dearly love. It wasn't THAT sexy, but I will tell you that in my lowly and wretched opinion the mood, style, execution, and design were frigg'n LIGHT YEARS & orders of magnitude better than Gerry Anderson's later series SPACE 1999. GEEZ that was a real stink'n turkey in just about every way.

No, I think what really kept this one entertaining and engaging was that it was seriously and competently done. Roy Ward Baker had just come off directing some excellent HAMMER films like one of my ABSOLUTE all time favourites 'QUATERMASS AND THE PIT' (aka: '5 MILLION YEARS TO EARTH'.) He was a very good director and really knew how to put together very entertaining films that many, MANY other directors would have turned into a HUGE CHEEEEEEZ fest.

So, if you happen to like older Sci Fi films (I'm not talking about the REALLY creaky 1950's Sci Fi here) but sort of the 1960's stylized, hip, Sci Fi (sort of like the excellent Space Operas that came out of Italy at that time like 'WILD, WILD, PLANET' for example - although this one isn't nearly as stylish as that one) then you should really enjoy this fun little Lunar Science Fiction movie.

"Moon Zero Two" was the most expensive film ever produced by Hammer Studios and is one of the oddest they ever created: a psychedelic western set on the moon in 2021 complete with claim-jumping, gunfights, zero gravity bar fights, candy colored space suits and go-go dancers. SF fans will enjoy early appearances by James Olson ("The Andromeda Strain") and Catherine Schell ("Space 1999"). Also Hammer alumnae Warren Mitchell as the chief villain, Adrienne Corri as a cop (loved her boots), Bernard Bresslaw as a heavy and, of course, Michael Ripper scarfing up distilled rocket fuel at the saloon. The special effects are not that bad. Great '60s kitsch and fun if you don't take it seriously, "Austin Powers" fans may dig it.

When you see Eddie Murphy's upcoming "Pluto Nash" you'll be surprised just how many ideas were taken from this film.

After watching this movie, I realized I don't remember a thing about it. All I remember is the soundtrack, and boy is it a soundtrack.

This movie takes everything bad about every sci-fi and mashes it together with overacting and cheap special effects. The result is something almost close to a masterpiece in B-movie cinema, but not exactly. For one, the Jazz steals the show, for two, the style of the movie was obviously inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey but is also obviously inspired from the 60s, and finally, it's just bizarre. This movie's got exotic dance scenes, a low-gravity bar fight, a complicated plot that you don't care about, space shootouts, bowler hat villain, tough guy hero, useless heroine, and bad haircuts. What else can I say? Oh yeah, scientific background is essentially non-existent, but who cares? This is a great movie to watch if you want to teach yourself what NOT to do in a sci-fi story; it's also featured on a great episode on Mystery Science Theater 3000. In my opinion, that's the better choice.

I have no idea what the title means....

Roy Ward Baker directed this bizarre Hammer studios futuristic science fiction/western hybrid that stars James Olsen as Captain William Kemp, basically the gunfighter for hire, and Catherine Schell as Clementine Taplin, who has hired him to investigate the disappearance of her brother, a miner on the moon who was murdered by claim jumpers with a sinister agenda that only they can stop... Extremely silly and dated film has good actors performing with a straight face, which is quite an achievement in sequences involving dancing saloon cowgirls in the moon colony bar-room, for instance, complete with obligatory brawl. Astonishing animated title sequence and song are most incongruous!

It cannot be compared to Kubrick's masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey". It's just a very modest SF. A comedy with some action, like a western on the moon, filmed in the studio at Elstree, Borehamwood. Catherine Schell is beautiful and a little sexy when she undresses in that moon bug. Something sexier, at least through dance and movement, are the 6 moon bar dancers. A special reason to watch the movie? If you have nothing better to do.

Groovy cartoon to trip out to in beginning and not much else. In this future 70s space sod, big forehead man goes throughout the movie doing various things which aren't important. Plus, he really hates drinking rocket fuel. High point includes fighting in zero gravity and when everyone is killed when the airlock opens (just kidding, though wish it happened). Cringe in horror and feel tension during the moon transport scene. Will the man and the girl make it? I hope not.

Considered to be the first moon "western" , this is the only Hammer film set in the future dealing with Astronaut Bill Kemp (James Olson) retrieves a broken satellite in space and brings it back on board his small moon lander space craft called Moon Zero Two . He and his colleague astronaut , engineer Karminski (Ori Levy) , go back to the moon and request landing . The year is 2021 and the moon has been colonized and has a city, a space port and customs checks , just like an airport on Earth, and they have to convince the customs officials they can bring the satellite through. Kemp is a former space hero, the first man to land on Mars, but is now earning a modest living as a salvage pilot. They arrive in the habitable moon and passing through the space port appear Hubbard (Warren Mitchell) , a rich magnate and his hoodlums . After that , in the pilots' changing rooms, another pilot attempts to convince Kemp to re-join the corporation as a commercial pilot but he is not interested . Later on , Kemp meets the beautiful but stranger Clem Taplin (Catherine Schell) . Clem comes looking for Kemp because she knows he is a space pilot who has been to the far side of the moon . She is looking for her brother Wally , who had been mining a claim on the far side of the moon, but he has missing . Little known to them ; however, being the fact that the miners sister has hired the same salvage team to help her locate her missing brother. All of them become involved with a group of criminals who are intenting on hijacking a small asteroid made of sapphire and crashing it into the moon for later recovery , as the asteroid worth millions , but then things go awry . A Robbery. A Murder. The number one space western! Ride a rocket Texas-style! Have a shoot-out in Moon City! Find a new frontier and a new kind of pioneer. But watch out for deadly moon maidens. IT'S THE FIRST MOON "WESTERN".

This sui-generis first moon "western" takes place in May 2021 , packing thrills , noisy action , fights and spectacular final confrontation. The movie was described by the financers , critics and filmmaker himsef as a "western in space", including usual elements as gunfighters , prospectors , shootouts , brawls , damsel in distresss to save , a hired pistolero , dancing saloon girls and anything else . Settings , spacecrafts , wigs , atrezzo and fashions were shot contemporaneously and really influenced by Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation¨Thunderbirds¨ , live-action television series, ¨UFO¨ (1970) , and ¨Space 1999¨ (1975) . Stars the American James Olson who gives a decent acting , accompanied by the extremely gorgeous Catherine Schell who wears suits very similar to series of Gerry Anderson's Space : 1999 as she played the alien shapeshifter Maya (1975) . Being bell accompanied by a good support cast , such as : Warren Mitchell who steals the show as a sophisticated villain , Adrienne Corri of Clockwork Orange , Ori Levy , Dudley Foster , Bernard Bresslaw and Michael Ropper who often appeared in all Hammer films .

Here stands out the colorful and brilliant cinematography by Paul Beeson . Director Roy Ward Baker emphasising the space images providing dramatic and suspenseful possibilities . Being only theatrical space opera of director Roy Ward Baker . Roy directed a great number of films . During World War II, he worked in the Army Kinematograph Unit under Eric Ambler, a writer and film producer, who, after the war, gave Baker his first opportunity to direct a film , The October Man (1947). He then went to Hollywood in 1952 and stayed for seven years, returning to Britain in 1958 , when he directed one of his best films , A night to remember (1958) . During the 1960s and 1970s , Baker directed a number of horror films for Hammer and Amicus . He also directed in British television, especially during the latter part of his career . Deemed to be a terror expert, as proved in The monster club , Mask of death , And now the screaming starts, The legend of the 7 gold vampire s, Asylum , Dr Jekill and his sister Hyde , The scars of Dracula , The vampire lovers, The anniversary . Roy Baker also directed some Hollywood fims ,such as : Inferno , House in the square , A night to remember , Don't bother to knock , and Night with sleep . Rating : acceptable and passable. 6/10. Worthwhile watching.

A space salvage expert and his partner become involved with a group of criminals intent on hijacking a small asteroid made of sapphire and crashing it into the moon for later recovery.

While it is hard to say something bad about Hammer and Roy Ward Baker, this film comes across as something of a misfire. My guess is that when it was released, it was a rather enjoyable film, but it has not aged gracefully. The year 2021 looks very much like what someone in the 1960s might have thought of the future.

The general plot is interesting, and worth a look. I have not seen the "Mystery Science Theater" version, but there is plenty here to riff on, so I imagine it is a solid episode. They have made fun of far worse films. Hammer at its worst is still a decent B-movie.

OK, I've read several reviews of this film in books, online and from sci-fi fans and usually the overall feeling of the film is split down the middle. I really enjoy this film, it has a very good cast; James Olson, Catherine Schell (Who would go on to star in the classic sci-fi series; Space: 1999), Adrienne Corri, Warren Mitchell, Michael Ripper (Hammer regular) and Sam Kydd, it had some great looking sets, a very capable director in Roy Ward Baker and the opening tune is one I can't get out of my head for days, after watching the film or listening to that track. Hailed as the first space-western, the film does it's best to combine a futuristic look with the ideals and wild ways of the old west. To sci-fi fans looking for something really serious and up on the technical feel of a straight-from-the-hip science fiction story, chances are you're going to be disappointed with the overall effort of the film, but if you like a film that can be serious at times and still poke fun at itself, then this is a film you're probably going to enjoy.....just don't go into viewing this in a serious mood! Have fun with it and relax.....the anti-gravity fight scene in the saloon is not to be missed!

Yes, it's credited to Hammer, who gave us all those wonderfully poor horror movies made on a budget of three shillings tuppence happenny back in the 1960s. It's not meant to be Star Wars, and it isn't. But for its time (and we have to kind about such films) it's actually technically very accurate (no sound in space, etc.) and if you can ignore the kitsch design and costumes, it's actually quite good fun. I can imagine that the Moon of Moon Zero Two was a realistic and plausible view of human colonies on the Moon as seen from 1969, and why it might be a lot like the wild west. Every plot element of the film is lifted from cheap westerns, but it's a favourite of mine, perhaps because I was a child when I first saw it.

Just remember, it's actually more intelligent than many of the brainless (and plotless) movies which people seem to accept today without question!

I lived on military bases in the '60s and '70s.

Saturday movies at the base theater was something that we ALL looked forward too. Frankly, I have to admit that I don't really recall that much about the movie, but I do remember one of us saying "THis movie REAKS!!!" I was so glad, we all walked out. For the rest of the summer, Moon Zero Two became our inside joke of the worst movie we all had ever seen.

...now after posting this, I think I might try to find it to watch again and see if we might have been too harsh. If I do, I'll come back and let you know.